Deshaun Watson Chose Not To Play Even After Browns Doctors Cleared Him, According To Coach Kevin Stefanski

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The Cleveland Browns traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson and gave him a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract. That looks very, very bad in hindsight. Well, it looked bad at the time, too.

It looks even worse after head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that Watson was healthy enough to play Sunday, but the QB elected to rest anyway.

This is a bizarre situation. Based on the Cleveland Browns game plan with 5th round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, they expected Watson to play. DTR looked completely overwhelmed and the team's offensive plan appeared more tailored to the veteran Watson than a rookie making his first career start.

Not only did Watson sit out the game because he felt he wasn't healthy enough, but he did so during a game in which tight end David Njoku played despite literally lighting himself on fire earlier in the week.

Stefanski heaped praise on the tight end for that performance.

That might not have been a direct shot at Watson. But it sounded like a subtle jab.

Deshaun Watson sits out Browns loss despite doctors clearing him, while other NFL QBs played through injuries

Around the NFL, quarterbacks toughed through injuries all over the league. Matthew Stafford limped his way up and down the field and led the Los Angeles Rams to an overtime victory with an impressive walk-off touchdown drive.

He said after the game that his hip injury was "uncomfortable" but he "wasn't gonna not go back in" the game. Are you listening, Deshaun Watson?

Or how about Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert finishing the game with one-and-a-half hands after breaking his finger?

Justin Herbert led the Los Angeles Chargers to victory with a broken finger, while Deshaun Watson sat out the Browns loss even after doctors cleared him to play.

Justin Herbert led the Los Angeles Chargers to victory with a broken finger, while Deshaun Watson sat out the Browns loss even after doctors cleared him to play. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr had a shoulder injury, too. His team didn't expect him to play. Guess what? He played through it. After the game, he refused to blame the injury for his performance.

You listening yet, Deshaun Watson?

Those performances are the ones that teammates rally around. They see their quarterback hurt but playing through pain.

Browns players see Watson sitting on the sidelines while the Ravens whoop their rookie quarterback. What are they supposed to think?

I'd be mad if I were a Browns player. Why should Watson play, anyways? His contract is fully-guaranteed. Doesn't matter if he plays well ... or even plays at all.

We'll see what happens next week. The Browns host the San Francisco 49ers, who have one of the best defenses in the league. Maybe Watson doesn't want to risk it and he'll just park himself on the bench again.

Or, maybe, he'll just get a nice massage and be fine.

Oh, wait, he's probably not legally allowed to receive that treatment.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.